1910.1020(d)(1): Retention Periods for Medical and Exposure Records
Unless a specific standard sets a different time, employers must preserve employee medical records for the duration of employment plus 30 years and exposure records for at least 30 years. Listed exceptions include separate insurance claims, minor one-time first aid records, short-term employees' records given to them at departure, and some background monitoring data.
Key takeaways
- 1910.1020(d)(1) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910).
- OSHA cited it 15 times in the last 3 years, in 14 inspections, with $4,516 in current penalties.
- Most citations: OH (3), MI (2), OR (2).
- Related part: 1910.1020(d) Preservation of records (15 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.1020(d)(1) is one requirement inside 1910.1020 Access to employee exposure and medical records, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910). It includes 9 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(1) Unless a specific occupational safety and health standard provides a different period of time, each employer shall assure the preservation and retention of records as follows: 15 citations
(i) Employee medical records. The medical record for each employee shall be preserved and maintained for at least the duration of employment plus thirty (30) years, except that the following types of records need not be retained for any specified period: Open (d)(1)(i) 6 citations
(A) Health insurance claims records maintained separately from the employer's medical program and its records,
(B) First aid records (not including medical histories) of one-time treatment and subsequent observation of minor scratches, cuts, burns, splinters, and the like which do not involve medical treatment, loss of consciousness, restriction of work or motion, or transfer to another job, if made on-site by a non-physician and if maintained separately from the employer's medical program and its records, and
(C) The medical records of employees who have worked for less than (1) year for the employer need not be retained beyond the term of employment if they are provided to the employee upon the termination of employment.
(ii) Employee exposure records. Each employee exposure record shall be preserved and maintained for at least thirty (30) years, except that: Open (d)(1)(ii) 9 citations
(A) Background data to environmental (workplace) monitoring or measuring, such as laboratory reports and worksheets, need only be retained for one (1) year as long as the sampling results, the collection methodology (sampling plan), a description of the analytical and mathematical methods used, and a summary of other background data relevant to interpretation of the results obtained, are retained for at least thirty (30) years; and 1 citations
(B) Material safety data sheets and paragraph (c)(5)(iv) records concerning the identity of a substance or agent need not be retained for any specified period as long as some record of the identity (chemical name if known) of the substance or agent, where it was used, and when it was used is retained for at least thirty (30) years; 1 and Open (d)(1)(ii)(b)
(C) Biological monitoring results designated as exposure records by specific occupational safety and health standards shall be preserved and maintained as required by the specific standard.
(iii) Analyses using exposure or medical records. Each analysis using exposure or medial records shall be preserved and maintained for at least thirty (30) years.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.1020.
Export the list: 14 inspections cited 1910.1020(d)(1) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 7 |
Top states: OH (3), MI (2), OR (2), LA (1), MA (1)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| WESCOTT STEEL INC. | TREVOSE, PA | $2,412 |
| 67370 - SWIFT PORK COMPANY | LOUISVILLE, KY | $1,000 |
| NEWTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS | NEWTOWN, CT | $560 |
| CALUMET SHREVEPORT, LLC | SHREVEPORT, LA | $544 |
| AZTEC MANUFACTURING CORPORATION | ROMULUS, MI | $0 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.1020(d)(1), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.1020(d)(1).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.1020(d) Preservation of records 15 citations
- 1910.1020(d)(1)(ii) Employee exposure records 9 citations
- 1910.1020(d)(1)(i) Employee medical records 6 citations
- 1910.1020(d)(1)(ii)(B)
- 1910.1020(d)(2)
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Frequently asked questions
What is the retention period for medical records?
The duration of employment plus thirty (30) years.
Are records for short-term workers kept?
Records of employees who worked less than one year need not be kept beyond employment if they are given to the employee when they leave.
How long is lab background data kept?
One year, as long as sampling results, methods and a summary are kept for at least thirty years.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.1020 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-11-01
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.